New Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life director appointed

On Tuesday, the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life announced the appointment of Eddie Banks-Crosson as director.

Banks-Crosson will oversee Penn’s 51 recognized chapters and 3,500 members. He comes to Penn from Syracuse University, where he served as Director of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs for seven years.

Banks-Crosson is a graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he received a Bachelor’s in Communication and Capella University, where he received a Master of Science in Higher Education.

“I am excited to join the University of Pennsylvania family,” Banks-Crosson said in a press release. “My passion for fraternities and sororities stem from my own experience as an undergraduate fraternity member at Jacksonville State University. The influence of these organizations spans far beyond the realms of camaraderie and union.”

Associate Vice Provost for Student Affairs Hikaru Kozuma conducted the search for a new director following former director Scott Reikofski’s announcement in early April that he would be retiring. Reikofski held the position for 20 years.

“Eddie brings a contemporary vision to Greek life at Penn and a keen understanding of the lifelong connections forged by fraternity or sorority membership,” Kozuma said in the press release. “We look forward to him getting to know our students and staff and becoming an integral leader at OFSL, in VPUL, and across campus.”

President of the Intrafraternity Council and rising Wharton senior Jacob Wallenberg has not yet met Banks-Crosson, but echoed Kozuma's excitement.

"I have not interacted with the director personally, but heard good things about him from student representatives during the interview process," Wallenberg said in a statement. "We're happy to hear that a new director was found during the summer, so as to limit the impact on OFSL's day-to-day operations, and we are looking forward to working together in the fall."

The hire comes after multiple controversies surrounding Penn’s fraternities and sororities in the past academic year.

In December, fraternity Phi Delta Theta was under investigation by its international organization and campus officials for including a dark-skinned blow-up doll in its holiday photo. The fraternity was later placed on probation, and required to complete cultural sensitivity training and sexual misconduct education programs in order to participate in social activities.

And in April, Penn’s Alpha Epsilon chapter of Sorority Alpha Chi Omega voted to revoke its charter with the university after the sorority was found in violation of Penn's policy on drinking and drug use. Eighty-five percent of members did not want to comply with the demands of the OFSL, which included abstinence from social events for two years. Former members formed an off-campus sorority, OAX.

Banks-Crosson will officially begin at Penn on Aug. 17.

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